Quick-break switch.



R. K. MASON.

QUICK BREAK SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1. 1916.

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QUICK BREAK SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, 1916. 3 33,097 Patented July 10,1917;

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RALPH K, MASON, OF LITCHFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TRUlVIBULL VANDEB- POEL ELECTRIC MFG. 00., 0F LITCHFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

QUICK-BREAK SWITCH.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917'.

Application filed September 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH K. MAsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Liitchfield, in the county of Litchlield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quiclc Break Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates broadly to improvements in knife switches and more particularly to those having auxiliary spring released blades which linger in engagement with one of the terminals after the main blade has disengaged the same, said auxiliary blades being then suddenly shifted by spring means from engagement with said terminal in order to prevent arcing.

Heretofore, numerous switches of the class described have been provided, but experience has taught that the majority thereof are too complicated to operate as advantageously as desired. It is therefore the object of the present invention to reduce switches of the above named type to their simplest and most efficient form. I

The foregoing object is attained by the provision of certain novel features of construction to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a single blade knife switch constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the switch partially open;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the main and supplemental blades with parts removed to more clearly show the connection between the two;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 4-.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the main switch showing more particularly the shape of the notch in the inner edge thereof; y. x

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the auxiliary blade Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a slightly modified form of construction;

Fig. 9 is an additional side elevation showing yet another form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section thereof on the line 10-10;

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation showing a still dilferent form of the invention;

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 11.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the numerals 1 and 2 represent a pair of terminals commonly known as jacks, while 3 has reference to a switch blade pivoted to the jack 1 and having an insulated operating handle 41 whereby it may be thrown into frictional engagement with the jack 2 to bridge the gap between the two terminals. of knife switch which has a tendency to are when the switch is opened under load, it being the object of the present invention to overcome this tendency. In accomplishing this end, the construction now to be described is employed.

A substantially circular notch 5 is formed in the inner edge of the blade 3, said notch opening through the opposed sides of said blade as shown and receiving therein a substantially circular head 6 on one end of an auxiliary blade 7, the latter being adapted for frictional engagement with the jack 2 when the switch is closed as shown. in Fig. 2, but being also adapted to linger in engagement with said jack after the main blade 3 has been disengaged therefrom, spring means to be described being 3employed for suddenly shifting the blade 7 from engagement with the jack 2 when the main blade has been opened a predetermined amount.

For the purpose of preventing lateral movement of the head 6 from the notch 5, two washers 8 are disposed one on each side of the main blade as shown most clearly in Fig. 5, said washers projecting beyond said blade and receiving the headed end of the auxiliary blade 7 therebetween. A bolt or the like 9 passes through the washers 8 and through a central. aperture in the head 6 in order to clamp said washers in tight contact with the opposed faces of the blade 3. The

This constitutes a common type.

auxiliary blade 7, however, is slightly less.

it may move freely between the projecting portions of the washers 8 as the two blades move independently of each other.

I The Washers 8 are cup-shaped with their recessed sides disposed inwardly as depicted most clearly in Fig. 5, said washers housing therein a coiledspring 10 which surrounds the bolt 9, said spring being preferably formed of a single piece of wire as shown with the intermediate portion 11 of said wire bearing against the headed end of the blade 7, while the free ends of said wire are bent laterally at 12 into an opening !13 formed in the blade 3. Thus, the tension of the spring 10 will be exerted to normally hold the auxiliary blade 7 in cont-act with the inner edge of the main blade 3, said ten sion being also exerted to disengage the blade 7 from the jack 2 after the main blade 3 has been opened to such an extent as to allow said springs to overcome the frictional engagement between. the auxiliary blade and the aforesaid jack.

In order to assist the springs 10 in dis engaging the blade 7 from the jack 2, a shoulder 14 is preferably formed at the juncture of the inner edge of the blade 3 with the arcuate wall of the notch 5 as shown most clearly in Figs. 4c and 6, this movement of the blade 3 to shift the auxiliary blade 7 until the frictional engagement between said blade 7 and the ack 2 is sufficiently diminished to allow the springs 10 to com'einto use. IVhen this occurs, the auxiliary blade 7 will be moved suddenly from engagement with the ack 2, with the result that no arcing will occur.

In Fig. 8 a modified form of construction is shown in which the auxiliary blade 7 and its circular head 6 will be stamped from the main blade 3, thus simultaneously forming a circular notch 5 to again receive said head 6 therein. A shoulder l t is also formed upon this operation for engagement with the headed end of the blade 7 to accomplish the same result attained by the use of the shoulder 14 above described.

In connection with the construction shown in 8, washers and springs such as those previously described will preferably be employed, although as will hereinafter become clear,'the washers might well be fiat instead of cup-shaped, and another type of spring -ers is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In these views, the numeral 3 has reference to the main switch blade, 7 to the auxiliary blade having a circular head 6 received in the notch 5 1n the inner edge of the mam blade.

Flat washers 8 contact with the opposed sides of the main and supplemental blades, and a bolt or the like 9 is passed through said washers and through the head (3", this arrangement serving to prevent lateral move ment of said head from the opening 5". In this type of the invention, a single fiat spring 10 is secured by a screw or the like 10 to the blade 3 at one end, the other end of said spring being disposed in contact with the headed end of the auxiliary blade 7 immediately adjacent the head of said blade and between the washers 8.

As above suggested, the flat washers S" and a sprin such as 10 could well be used in connection with the construction shown in Fig. 8, although the type of washers and springs described in connection with the first form of the invention is preferable on account of the fact that said springs are totally housed.

In Figs. 11 and 12 the construction de picted is the same as that disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 with the exception that instead of forming an opening through the main blade designated at 3 in said Figs. 11 and 12, such an opening is formed at 13 through the pivoted end of the supplemental blade 7, said opening receiving therein the laterally bent ends 12 of the springs 10 which necessL tates that the connected ends ll of sale springs bear against the under side of the main blade 3. This arrangement of parts will be employed in connection with washers such as those indicated at 8 in the preceding figures but in some cases said washers might well be omitted.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious that regardless of the fact that all types of the invention are extremely simple and inexpensive, they will be highly eliicient and durable.

In conclusion, it may be stated that although certain specific details have been shown and described for accomplishing probably the best results, numerous changes may be made within the scope of the invention'as claimed without sacrificing the main advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In a quick-break switch, the combination of a pair of terminals, a main switch blade pivoted to one of said terminals and adapted for frictional engagement with the other, said blade having in its inner edge a substantially circular notch which opens through its opposed sides, an auxiliary blade also adapted for frictional engagement with the last named terminal and adapted to linger in engagement therewith after said main blade has been disengaged therefrom upon opening ofthe switch, said auxiliary blade having a substantially circular head at one end received in said notch to serve as a pivotal connection between the two blades, means for retaining the head in the notch, and means for suddenly moving the auxiliary blade from engagement with its respective terminal when the main blade has been opened a predetermined amount.

2. In a quick-break switch, the combination of apair of terminals, a main switch blade pivoted to one of said terminals and adapted for frictional engagement with the other, said blade having in its inner edge a substantially circular notch which opens through its opposed sides, an auxiliary blade also adapted for frictional engagement with the last named terminal and adapted to linger in engagement therewith after said main blade has been disengaged therefrom upon opening of the switch, said auxiliary blade having a substantially circular head at one end received in said notch to serve as a pivotal connection between the two blades, a pair of washers disposed one on each side of said main blade and receiving the headed end of the auxiliary blade therebetween, a fastener passing through said washers and through the intervening head, and means for suddenly moving said auxiliary blade from engagement with its respective terminal when the main blade is opened a predetermined amount.

8. In a quick-break switch, the combination of a pair of terminals, a main switch blade pivoted to one of said terminals and adapted for frictional engagement with the other, said blade having in its inner edge a substantially circular notch which opens through its opposed sides, an auxiliary blade also adapted for frictional engagement with the last named terminal and adapted to linger in engagement therewith after said main blade has been disengaged therefrom upon opening of the switch, said auxiliary blade having a substantially circular head at one end received in said notch to serve as a pivotal connection between the two blades, a pair of washers disposed one on each side of the main blade and receiving therebetween the headed end of the auxiliary blade, one of said washers having in its inner face a recess, a fastener passing through the two washers and through the intervening head, and a spring confined in the recessed washer for suddenly moving the auxiliary blade from engagement with its respective terminal when the main blade has been opened a predetermined amount.

4:. In a quick-break switch, the combina' tion of a pair of terminals, a main switchblade pivoted to one of said terminals and adapted for frictional engagement with the other, said blade having in its inner edge a substantially circular notch which opens through its opposed sides, an auxiliary blade also adapted for frictional engagement with the last named terminal and adapted to linger in engagement therewith after said main blade has been disengaged therefrom upon opening of the switch, said auxiliary blade having a substantially circular head at one end received in said notch to serve as a pivotal connection between the two blades, a pair of washers disposed one on each side of the main blade, said Washers being cupshaped with their recessed sides disposed in wardly, one blade having an opening lead-- ing from the recess of one washer into that of the other, a fastener passing through the two washers and through the intervening head, and a pair of coiled springs surrounding the fastener and disposed in the recesses of the washers, said springs being formed of a single piece of wire whose free ends are bent laterally into the aforesaid opening in said one blade, the intermediate portion of said wire bearing on the other blade.

5. A quick-break switch comprising a pair of terminals, a main switch blade pivoted to one of said terminals and adapted for frictional engagement with the other, said blade having in its inner edge a substantially circular notch which opens through its opposite sides, an auxiliary blade also adapted for frictional engagement with the last named terminal and adapted to linger in engagement therewith after said main blade has been disengaged therefrom upon opening of the switch, said auxiliary blade having a substantially circular head at one end received in said notch to serve as a pivotal connection between the two blades, washers contacting with the opposite sides of both blades, a fastener passing through said washers and throu h one blade to prevent relative lateral shifting of the two blades, and a spring housed between the two washers for actuating said auxiliary blade after the main blade has been opened a predetermined amount.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set may hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH K. MASON.

Witnesses WILLIAM F. OBRIEN, MAX F. KOEHLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

